{"id":7373,"date":"2026-09-22T09:00:19","date_gmt":"2026-09-22T07:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/germany-travel-tips"},"modified":"2026-09-22T09:00:19","modified_gmt":"2026-09-22T07:00:19","slug":"germany-travel-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/en\/germany-travel-tips","title":{"rendered":"Germany Travel Tips: 12 Things to Know Before You Go"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.sayna-article .quick,.sayna-article .tip{background:#f4f7fb;border-left:4px solid #467AFF;border-radius:8px;padding:14px 18px;margin:20px 0}.sayna-article .tip{background:#fff7ef;border-left-color:#ff7900}.sayna-article .h{font-weight:700;font-size:1.05em;margin-bottom:6px;color:#0a0a0b}.sayna-article table{border-collapse:collapse;width:100%;margin:18px 0}.sayna-article th{background:#eef1f7;text-align:left;padding:10px 12px;font-weight:700;border-bottom:2px solid #dfe3ec}.sayna-article td{padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #eef1f7}.sayna-article .faq details{border-bottom:1px solid #e5e8ee;padding:4px 0}.sayna-article .faq summary{font-weight:600;cursor:pointer;padding:9px 0}.sayna-article .cta-box{background:#fff5ec;border:1px solid #ffd8b0;border-radius:12px;padding:22px;text-align:center;margin:26px 0}.sayna-article .cta-box a{display:inline-block;background:#ff7900;color:#fff;padding:12px 26px;border-radius:8px;text-decoration:none;font-weight:700;margin-top:8px}<\/style>\n<div class=\"sayna-article\">\n<div class=\"quick\">\n<div class=\"h\">\u26a1 In short<\/div>\n<p>Before your first trip to Germany, know that <strong>cash is still king<\/strong>, <strong>shops close on Sundays<\/strong>, and <strong>tap water is not free<\/strong> in restaurants. Tip by rounding up, mind the <strong>quiet hours<\/strong>, claim your <strong>bottle deposit<\/strong>, and always validate your transport ticket. None of it is hard once you know the rules.<\/p>\n<div class=\"tip\"><span class=\"h\">Stay connected on arrival<\/span> Set up your <a href=\"https:\/\/travel.orange.com\/en\/buy-a-sim\/offers\/germany\">eSIM for Germany<\/a> before you go: 100% online activation, no physical SIM to swap.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<nav aria-label=\"Contents\" class=\"toc\">\n<div class=\"h\">Contents<\/div>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"#entry\">1. Entry rules and ETIAS<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#cash\">2. Carry cash, always<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#sunday\">3. Sundays are closed<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#tipping\">4. Tipping the German way<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#water\">5. Tap water and the Pfand deposit<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#transport\">6. Validate your ticket or pay 60 \u20ac<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#quiet\">7. Quiet hours and Sundays at home<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#crossing\">8. Wait for the green man<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#more\">9\u201312. More habits worth knowing<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#language\">Language and getting by<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#health\">Safety, health and emergencies<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#connected\">Stay connected from the start<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<p>Germany is one of the easiest countries in Europe to travel, with fast trains, clean cities and good English in tourist areas. The friction comes from small local rules that nobody warns you about until you trip over one, like a closed supermarket on a Sunday afternoon.<\/p>\n<p>Here are twelve things that genuinely matter on a first trip, the practical ones, not the clich\u00e9s.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"entry\">1. Entry rules and ETIAS<\/h2>\n<p>Germany is in the Schengen Area, so EU citizens come and go freely. Many non-EU travellers, including those from the UK, US, Canada and Australia, can visit visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. From 2026, those same visitors will need the <strong>ETIAS<\/strong> travel authorisation, a quick online form with a small fee, before they fly. Check your own nationality&#8217;s requirement well before booking, and make sure your passport is valid for the length of your stay.<\/p>\n<p>The 90-day limit applies across the whole Schengen zone, not Germany alone, so a longer European trip taking in France, Italy or others counts as one allowance. There are no internal border checks within Schengen, though spot checks do happen, so carry your passport rather than leaving it in the hotel safe when you cross into Austria or the Czech Republic on a day trip.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"cash\">2. Carry cash, always<\/h2>\n<p>This surprises almost every first-timer. Germany is a wealthy, modern country that still runs heavily on cash. Cards are fine in hotels, supermarkets and big chains, but bakeries, small restaurants, market stalls, some bars and many taxis are <strong>cash only<\/strong>, and the sign at the till is your only warning. Keep 50 to 100 \u20ac in notes plus a handful of coins, and you will never be caught out.<\/p>\n<p>Contactless via Apple Pay or Google Pay is increasingly accepted and worth setting up, but treat it as a complement to cash, not a replacement. Withdraw euros from a bank-branded ATM (Sparkasse, Volksbank, Deutsche Bank) rather than the standalone machines in tourist areas, which often add poor exchange rates and fees. Coins matter too, not just for tips: public toilets frequently charge 0.50 to 1 \u20ac, and supermarket trolleys need a 1 or 2 \u20ac coin as a deposit.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"sunday\">3. Sundays are closed<\/h2>\n<p>By law, most shops and supermarkets shut on Sundays and public holidays, a tradition called Ladenschluss. Restaurants, museums, pharmacies on duty and bakeries inside train stations stay open, and station supermarkets are your fallback. The simple fix: do your food and souvenir shopping by Saturday evening. A Sunday is for walking, brunch and sights, not for stocking up.<\/p>\n<p>The same rhythm catches people out on public holidays, which fall throughout the year and close shops just like a Sunday, sometimes regionally rather than nationally. Bakeries often open for a few morning hours even on a Sunday, so you can still get fresh bread and coffee, and petrol-station shops keep limited supplies at a premium. Plan around it rather than fighting it: locals treat Sunday as a genuine day of rest, and slotting into that pace is part of travelling well here.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"tipping\">4. Tipping the German way<\/h2>\n<p>Tipping is welcome but modest, and the method differs from many countries. Round up the bill or add roughly 5 to 10 percent, then <strong>say the total out loud<\/strong> when the server takes your cash or card. If a coffee is 3.50 \u20ac, hand over and say &#8220;four&#8221;. Leaving coins on the table is less common than telling the server the rounded figure.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"water\">5. Tap water and the Pfand deposit<\/h2>\n<p>Tap water is safe and excellent, but restaurants rarely serve it free, so expect to order still or sparkling. More usefully, learn the <strong>Pfand<\/strong>: most bottles and cans carry a deposit of around 0.25 \u20ac, refunded when you feed them into a reverse-vending machine in any supermarket. Do not bin a plastic bottle, that is throwing away money, and locals often leave returnable bottles beside bins for others to collect.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"transport\">6. Validate your ticket or pay 60 \u20ac<\/h2>\n<p>City transport works on trust, with no barriers on most trams, buses and S-Bahn lines. That is exactly why ticket inspectors board in plain clothes. Riding without a valid ticket, called <strong>Schwarzfahren<\/strong>, brings an on-the-spot fine of around <strong>60 \u20ac<\/strong>, and &#8220;I&#8217;m a tourist&#8221; will not get you out of it. Buy and, where required, stamp your ticket before you board.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"quiet\">7. Quiet hours and Sundays at home<\/h2>\n<p>Germany takes peace seriously. <strong>Ruhezeit<\/strong>, or quiet time, applies at night (typically 10 pm to 6 am) and often midday and all Sunday. That means no drilling, loud music or noisy chores. As a visitor in an apartment rental, keep the volume down late and on Sundays, and you will avoid an awkward knock from a neighbour.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"crossing\">8. Wait for the green man<\/h2>\n<p>Germans wait for the green pedestrian light even on an empty street, especially with children around, and crossing on red can earn a disapproving look or rarely a small fine. In the east you will meet the beloved <strong>Ampelm\u00e4nnchen<\/strong>, the little hatted figure on the lights, a genuine local icon you will see on souvenirs everywhere.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"more\">9 to 12. More habits worth knowing<\/h2>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Tip<\/th>\n<th>What to do<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>9. Recycling<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Separate waste into paper, packaging, glass by colour, and general. Bins are labelled clearly.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>10. Punctuality<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Trains and tours leave on time. Aim to be early, not on the dot.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>11. Jaywalking aside, follow rules<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Stay out of the red bike lane on pavements, cyclists ring hard and have right of way.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>12. Greetings<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>A simple &#8220;Hallo&#8221; or &#8220;Guten Tag&#8221; on entering a small shop is polite and expected.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>None of these are make-or-break, but together they mark you as a considerate visitor rather than a clueless one, and Germans notice the difference.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"language\">Language and getting by<\/h2>\n<p>English is widely spoken in cities, tourist areas and among younger Germans, so you will rarely be stuck. The friction comes with the written world: menus in smaller restaurants, ticket machines, official signs and supermarket labels are often German only. A translation app with the German pack downloaded covers almost everything.<\/p>\n<p>A little effort goes a long way socially. Open with &#8220;Hallo&#8221; or &#8220;Guten Tag&#8221;, and learn &#8220;Danke&#8221; (thanks), &#8220;Bitte&#8221; (please, and also &#8220;you&#8217;re welcome&#8221;), and &#8220;Entschuldigung&#8221; (excuse me). Germans tend to be direct rather than rude, and small talk is lighter than in some cultures, so do not read brevity as coldness. In Bavaria you will hear &#8220;Gr\u00fc\u00df Gott&#8221; as a greeting, which is normal and worth returning.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"health\">Safety, health and emergencies<\/h2>\n<p>Germany is a safe country by most measures, with low violent crime. The realistic risks are petty: pickpocketing in crowded stations, tourist hotspots and at busy Christmas markets. Keep your phone and wallet secure in crowds, and be wary of anyone creating a sudden distraction.<\/p>\n<p>For health, the single emergency number is <strong>112<\/strong> across Germany and the EU, for ambulance and fire, with <strong>110<\/strong> for police. Pharmacies, marked by a red <strong>Apotheke<\/strong> sign, handle minor ailments and can advise, and there is always one on emergency duty (Notdienst) overnight, posted on the door of every pharmacy. EU visitors should carry the European Health Insurance Card, and travellers from the UK the GHIC, which covers state medical care. Everyone else should have travel insurance, since care is excellent but not free. Tap water is safe to drink throughout the country.<\/p>\n<div class=\"tip\">\n<div class=\"h\">\ud83d\udca1 Worth knowing: the quick checklist<\/div>\n<ul>\n<li>Check whether you need ETIAS for 2026 before you book.<\/li>\n<li>Always carry cash, even in big cities.<\/li>\n<li>Shop before Sunday, almost everything closes.<\/li>\n<li>Tip by rounding up and saying the total aloud.<\/li>\n<li>Always hold a valid transport ticket, fines are around 60 \u20ac.<\/li>\n<li>Return bottles for the Pfand deposit instead of binning them.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"connected\">Stay connected from the start<\/h2>\n<p>Half of these tips are easier with your phone in hand: checking which supermarket is open near you, splitting a cash-only bill, or translating a menu and a recycling label. A reliable connection from the moment you land turns each small rule into a non-issue.<\/p>\n<p>Instead of queueing for a local SIM with its identity check, or risking roaming charges, set up an <a class=\"cta-inline\" href=\"https:\/\/travel.orange.com\/en\/buy-a-sim\/offers\/germany\">eSIM for Germany<\/a> before departure. You are online the second you arrive, on the 4G\/5G network, with your usual number still active for those bank confirmation texts.<\/p>\n<p>With Orange, the service from a group with <strong>over 300 million customers<\/strong>, you travel with peace of mind: <strong>200+ destinations<\/strong> covered, <strong>24\/7<\/strong> human support, and <strong>100% refunded<\/strong> if you do not use your eSIM.<\/p>\n<div class=\"cta-box\">\n<p>Ready to land in Germany already connected and stress-free?<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/travel.orange.com\/en\/buy-a-sim\/offers\/germany\">Discover the Germany eSIM by Orange Travel<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<section aria-label=\"Frequently asked questions\" class=\"faq\">\n<h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<details open=\"\">\n<summary>Do I need a visa to visit Germany?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"a\">Germany is in the Schengen Area. EU citizens travel freely. Many non-EU visitors, including UK, US, Canadian and Australian travellers, can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa, and from 2026 will need ETIAS. Check your nationality&#8217;s rules before booking.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details open=\"\">\n<summary>Is Germany a cash or card country?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"a\">Both, but cash matters more than visitors expect. Cards work in hotels, supermarkets and chains, while many bakeries, small restaurants and market stalls take cash only. Carry 50 to 100 \u20ac in notes and coins.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details open=\"\">\n<summary>Why are shops closed on Sundays in Germany?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"a\">By law, most shops and supermarkets close on Sundays and public holidays. Restaurants, station bakeries, duty pharmacies and tourist sites stay open. Do your food shopping by Saturday evening.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details open=\"\">\n<summary>How much should I tip in Germany?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"a\">Round up or add about 5 to 10 percent, and tell the server the total you want to pay when they take payment, rather than leaving coins on the table. Tipping is appreciated but stays modest.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details open=\"\">\n<summary>Is it safe to drink tap water in Germany?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"a\">Yes, German tap water is safe and tightly regulated. Restaurants rarely serve it free, so order still or sparkling water or carry your own refillable bottle.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":7372,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_titles_title":"Germany Travel Tips: 12 Things to Know Before You Go | Orange Travel","_seopress_titles_desc":"Germany travel tips: cash culture, Sunday closures, tipping, quiet hours, recycling deposits and more. 12 things to know before your first trip in 2026.","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/en\/germany-travel-tips","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":0,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","_seopress_news_disabled":"","_seopress_video_disabled":"","_seopress_video":[],"_seopress_pro_schemas_manual":[],"_seopress_pro_rich_snippets_disable_all":"","_seopress_pro_rich_snippets_disable":[],"_seopress_pro_schemas":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7373","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-turism","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-33"],"lang":"en","translations":{"en":7373,"fr":7371,"es":7375},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7373","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/30"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7373"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7373\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7377,"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7373\/revisions\/7377"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7372"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7373"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7373"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7373"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}